Friday, November 8, 2013

Salon du Chocolat Part 2

For those of you who love sweets other than chocolate, today's post is for you

and chocoholics can reread my previous post:)

Believe it or not these flowers are made of candy!

These pâtes de fruits are like very dense jello/gummies which are as close to eating fruit as candy can possibly taste.

I had never tried Mazettes before, they taste like Jordan almonds but with pistachios and white chocolate; delicious!

Even though this was a chocolate centered event, vanilla was available at several stands.

I saw several sweets I've never seen before, like Chardons, which are liquor filled candies

available in various colors to differentiate it from other flavors.

Guimauve is the French version of marshmallow, but they are flavored and colored accordingly. The big difference between this and anything that you would buy in a US supermarket is these are made FRESH, they have a very soft tender texture, and they have flavors unlike anything I've ever seen in the US, like passion fruit and lavender!

There were vendors with beautiful souk like displays of spices and teas from around the world.

Some chocolates were so colorful that they looked like jewels; this display was at one of the Japanese vendors who came to showcase their talents in Paris.

Nougat is a beloved sweet, and huge wheels of various flavors could be sliced by weight to be taken home to share (or not).

Dried fruit from goji to papaya were also available by weight.

Sweets from Morocco and made with almonds and almond paste reminded Parisians of warm holidays spent in a popular vacation destination.

Spiced bread, some made with salted caramel, offered a different take on "dessert".

Marzipan also made an appearance in many shapes and flavors.

A live demonstration on how to make a proper chocolate mousse was held onstage by Ferrandi.

On another stage musicians performed,

and afterwards, awards were given to various chocolatiers for their delicious work.

Future chocolatiers and confiseurs got lessons with hands on experience.

Master sculptors competed with ice art.

Not everything sold was completely edible; these flavored lipsticks were made to be shared with kisses :)

Jewelry in the shape of macarons, cupcakes, and other sweets, meant to be worn rather than eaten.

Some stands had servers in costume.

Other stands served wine

or champagne that would compliment sweets.

There was also an educational display with examples (not edible) of the various sweets and the history of how they are made.

The most impressive display was this huge cake made of candy.

I'm sure at the end of the exposition, they have to remove all the stands; does anyone else want to volunteer to help clean up by eating the displays?

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About Me

Travel, food, friends & kindness are the joys of life. This is the place where I share the things that make my spirit smile. I do not get paid or fed, or otherwise compensated by any subject in my blog (any comped items are noted), so my reviews are not biased by bribes. I grew up in a restaurant, worked in restaurants, know how to cook & cater, and love to eat, so the posts about food here are all based on my personal taste for fresh, well seasoned, artfully prepared dishes. I have traveled to 20 countries and about 25 states, so I am always finding & sharing travel deals to further my travel adventures and yours. Shopping is my sport, so whenever I find a better price or place to shop, I will share it here. Your opinions are welcome, but ads for other sites or nasty comments are not; you can publish those on your own blog. I welcome feedback, so please leave comments on what I post or write to me at ElaineTravels(at)Gmail. If you would like to make me smile even more, look through my wishlist and surprise me with a gift, or donate to one of my favorite charities.
Je parle Français, alors bonjour à mes amis Francophones.

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Elaine Travels

I've learned the most from my travels around the world to countless cities and 17 countries. Check for reviews of places I've traveled to, eaten in, or visited, from Laguna Beach, CA to Paris, France and all places in between. My favorite place in the world is Motu Tapu (does anyone know where that is?), but that is only SO FAR. As I continue my education and evolve in my experiences you will read about them here. Sometimes it is the food, the culture, the history, or simply the kindness of strangers that has opened my eyes and spirit to how wonderfully connected we all are to each other. This is a place to share all the places, people, and things that bring smiles to a traveler's heart.